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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Bayesian hypothesis testing of four-taxon topologies using molecular sequence data.

The reconstruction of phylogenetic trees from molecular sequences presents unusual problems for statistical inference. For example, three possible alternatives must be considered for four taxa when inferring the correct unrooted tree (referred to as a topology). In our view, classical hypothesis testing is poorly suited to this triangular set of alternative hypotheses. In this article, we develop Bayesian inference to determine the posterior probability that a four-taxon topology is correct given the sequence data and the evolutionary parsimony algorithm for phylogenetic reconstruction. We assess the frequency properties of our models in a large simulation study. Bayesian inference under the principles of evolutionary parsimony is shown to be well calibrated with reasonable discriminating power for a wide range of realistic conditions, including conditions that violate the assumptions of evolutionary parsimony.

Base Sequence↗

Application of the character compatibility approach to generalized molecular sequence data: branching order of the proteobacterial subdivisions.

The character compatibility approach, which removes all homoplasic characters and involves finding the largest clique of compatible characters in a dataset, in principle, provides a powerful means for obtaining correct topology in difficult to resolve cases. However, the usefulness of this approach to generalized molecular sequence data for phylogeny determination has not been studied in the past. We have used this approach to determine the topology of 23 proteobacterial species (6 each of alpha-, beta- and gamma-, 3 delta-, and 2 epsilon-proteobacteria) using sequence data for 10 conserved proteins (Hsp60, Hsp70, EF-Tu, EF-G, alanyl-tRNA synthetase, RecA, GyrA, GyrB, RpoB and RpoC). All sites in the sequence alignments of these proteins where only two amino acids were found, with each amino acid present in at least two species, were selected. Mutual compatibility determination on these binary state sites was carried out by two means. In one case, all of these sites were combined into a large dataset (Set A; 957 characters) prior to compatibility analysis. In the second case, compatibility analysis was carried out on characters from individual proteins and all compatible sites were combined into a large dataset (Set B; 398 characters) for further studies. Upon compatibility analyses, the largest cliques that were obtained from Sets A and B consisted of 337 and 323 compatible characters, respectively. In these cliques, all proteobacterial subgroups were clearly distinguished and branching orders of most of the species were also resolved. The epsilon-proteobacteria exhibited the earliest branching, whereas the beta- and gamma-subgroups were found to have emerged last. The relative placement of the alpha- and delta-subgroups, however, was not resolved. The topology of these species was also determined based on 16S rRNA sequences and a concatenated dataset of sequences for all 10 proteins by means of neighbor-joining, maximum likelihood, and maximum parsimony methods. In the protein trees, all proteobacterial groups were reliably resolved and they branched in the following order: (epsilon(delta(alpha(beta,gamma)))). However, in the rRNA trees, the gamma- and beta-subgroups exhibited polyphyletic branching and many internal nodes were not resolved. These results indicate that the character compatibility analysis using generalized molecular sequence data provides a powerful means for evolutionary studies. Based on molecular sequences, it should be possible to obtain very large datasets of compatible characters that should prove very helpful in clarifying difficult to resolve phylogenetic relationships.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Estimating mutation parameters, population history and genealogy simultaneously from temporally spaced sequence data.

Molecular sequences obtained at different sampling times from populations of rapidly evolving pathogens and from ancient subfossil and fossil sources are increasingly available with modern sequencing technology. Here, we present a Bayesian statistical inference approach to the joint estimation of mutation rate and population size that incorporates the uncertainty in the genealogy of such temporally spaced sequences by using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) integration. The Kingman coalescent model is used to describe the time structure of the ancestral tree. We recover information about the unknown true ancestral coalescent tree, population size, and the overall mutation rate from temporally spaced data, that is, from nucleotide sequences gathered at different times, from different individuals, in an evolving haploid population. We briefly discuss the methodological implications and show what can be inferred, in various practically relevant states of prior knowledge. We develop extensions for exponentially growing population size and joint estimation of substitution model parameters. We illustrate some of the important features of this approach on a genealogy of HIV-1 envelope (env) partial sequences.

Decision Trees↗

Phylogenetic position of Blastocystis hominis and of stramenopiles inferred from multiple molecular sequence data.

Blastocystis hominis, a parasite of the human intestine, has recently been positioned within stramenopiles by the small subunit rRNA phylogeny. To further confirm its phylogenetic position using multiple molecular sequence data, we determined the nucleotide sequences putatively encoding small subunit ribosomal RNA, cytosolic-type 70-kDa heat shock protein, translation elongation factor 2, and the non-catalytic 'B' subunit of vacuolar ATPase of B. hominis (HE87-1 strain). Moreover, we determined the translation elongation factor 2 sequence of an apicomplexan parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, that belongs to alveolates. The maximum likelihood analyses of small subunit rRNA and cytosolic-type 70-kDa heat shock protein clearly demonstrated that B. hominis (HE87-1 strain) is positioned within stramenopiles, being congruent with the previous small subunit rRNA analysis, including the sequences of B. hominis (Nand strain) and a Blastocystis isolate from guinea pig. Although no clear resolution among major eukaryotic groups was obtained by the individual phylogenies based on the four molecules analyzed here, a combined analysis of various molecules, including these, clearly indicated that Blastocystis/stramenopiles are the closest relatives of alveolates.

Animals↗

Phylogenetic position of phylum Nemertini, inferred from 18S rRNA sequences: molecular data as a test of morphological character homology.

Partial 18S rRNA sequence of the nemertine Cerebratulus lacteus was obtained and compared with those of coelomate metazoans and acoelomate platyhelminths to test whether nemertines share a most recent common ancestor with the platyhelminths, as traditionally has been implied, or whether nemertines lie within a protostome coelomate clade, as suggested by more recent morphological analyses. Maximum-parsimony analysis supports the inclusion of the nemertine within a protostome-coelomate clade that falls within a more inclusive coelomate clade. Bootstrap analysis indicates strong support for a monophyletic Coelomata composed of a deuterostome and protostome-coelomate clade. Support for a monophyletic protostome Coelomata is weak. Inference by distance analysis is consistent with that of maximum parsimony. Analysis of down-weighted paired sites by maximum parsimony reveals variation in topology only within the protostome-coelomate clade. The relationships among the protostome coelomates cannot be reliably inferred from the partial sequences, suggesting that coelomate protostomes diversified rapidly. Results with evolutionary parsimony are consistent with the inclusion of the nemertine in a coelomate clade. The molecular inference corroborates recent morphological character analyses that reveal no synapomorphies of nemertines and flatworms but instead suggest that the circulatory system and rhynchocoel of nemertines are homologous to coelomic cavities of protostome coelomates, thus supporting the corresponding hypothesis that nemertines belong within a protostome-coelomate clade. The sequence data provide an independent test of morphological character homology.

Animals↗

Root of the Eukaryota tree as inferred from combined maximum likelihood analyses of multiple molecular sequence data.

Extensive studies aiming to establish the structure and root of the Eukaryota tree by phylogenetic analyses of molecular sequences have thus far not resulted in a generally accepted tree. To re-examine the eukaryotic phylogeny using alternative genes, and to obtain a more robust inference for the root of the tree as well as the relationship among major eukaryotic groups, we sequenced the genes encoding isoleucyl-tRNA and valyl-tRNA synthetases, cytosolic-type heat shock protein 90, and the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II from several protists. Combined maximum likelihood analyses of 22 protein-coding genes including the above four genes clearly demonstrated that Diplomonadida and Parabasala shared a common ancestor in the rooted tree of Eukaryota, but only when the fast-evolving sites were excluded from the original data sets. The combined analyses, together with recent findings on the distribution of a fused dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthetase gene, narrowed the possible position of the root of the Eukaryota tree on the branch leading to Opisthokonta or to the common ancestor of Diplomonadida/Parabasala. However, the analyses did not agree with the position of the root located on the common ancestor of Opisthokonta and Amoebozoa, which was argued by Stechmann and Cavalier-Smith [Curr. Biol. 13:R665-666, 2003] based on the presence or absence of a three-gene fusion of the pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway: carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase II, dihydroorotase, and aspartate carbamoyltransferase. The presence of the three-gene fusion recently found in the Cyanidioschyzon merolae (Rhodophyta) genome sequence data supported our analyses against the Stechmann and Cavalier-Smith-rooting in 2003.

Animals↗

Phylogenetic relationships of the carabid subfamily Harpalinae (Coleoptera) based on molecular sequence data.

The carabid subfamily Harpalinae contains most of the species of carabid beetles. This subfamily, with over 19,000 species, radiated in the Cretaceous to yield a large clade that is diverse in morphological form and ecological habit. While there are several morphological, cytological, and chemical characters that unite most harpalines, the placement of some tribes within the subfamily remains controversial, as does the sister group relationships to this large group. In this study, DNA sequences from the 28S rDNA gene and the wingless nuclear protein-coding gene were collected from 52 carabid genera representing 31 harpaline tribes in addition to more than 21 carabid outgroup taxa to reconstruct the phylogeny of this group. Molecular sequence data from these genes, along with additional data from the 18S rDNA gene, were analyzed with a variety of phylogenetic analysis methods, separately for each gene and in a combined data approach. Results indicated that the subfamily Harpalinae is monophyletic with the enigmatic tribes of Morionini, Peleciini, and Pseudomorphini included within it. Brachinine bombardier beetles are closely related to Harpalinae as they form the sister group to harpalines or, in some analyses, are included within it or with austral psydrines. The austral psydrines are the sister group to Harpalinae+Brachinini clade in most analyses and austral psydrines+Brachinini+Harpalinae clade is strongly supported.

Animals↗

Diversification of Neoaves: integration of molecular sequence data and fossils.

Patterns of diversification and timing of evolution within Neoaves, which includes almost 95% of all bird species, are virtually unknown. On the other hand, molecular data consistently indicate a Cretaceous origin of many neoavian lineages and the fossil record seems to support an Early Tertiary diversification. Here, we present the first well-resolved molecular phylogeny for Neoaves, together with divergence time estimates calibrated with a large number of stratigraphically and phylogenetically well-documented fossils. Our study defines several well-supported clades within Neoaves. The calibration results suggest that Neoaves, after an initial split from Galloanseres in Mid-Cretaceous, diversified around or soon after the K/T boundary. Our results thus do not contradict palaeontological data and show that there is no solid molecular evidence for an extensive pre-Tertiary radiation of Neoaves.

Animals↗

SEView: a Java applet for browsing molecular sequence data.

SEView is a Java applet that represents known or predicted elements of a protein or nucleotide sequence. It replaces or supplements the textual format of databases or program output with an interactive, graphical representation that is easily available through a WWW browser. Independence from the source data's format is achieved through a description language and ad hoc translators, which make the system versatile and flexible.

Computer Graphics↗

Instability of quartet analyses of molecular sequence data by the maximum likelihood method: the Cetacea/Artiodactyla relationships.

By using the maximum likelihood method, we study the reliability of phylogeny based on only four taxa, which have been studied by Philippe and Douzery with the maximum parsimony and neighbor-joining methods. Amino acid sequences of cytochrome b were provided for the analysis to examine the relationships among Ruminantia, Suiformes, and Cetacea with out-group mammals by using one representative species from each group. In accord with Philippe and Douzery's analysis, it was shown that we can find a quartet of species which provides a high bootstrap proportion for each of the three possible trees and that the quartet analyses with only four species can be misleading even with the maximum likelihood. However, if the confidence level of the inferred tree is estimated adequately by the maximum likelihood method and we take a conservative attitude, we can avoid the danger of concluding an erroneous tree by using quartet analysis, although the problem may remain unresolved in many cases. In order to obtain a reliable tree, it is important to carry out analyses based on as many different genes and as many relevant species as possible and to synthesize the results.

Animals↗

Phylogenetic relationships within the coral crab genus Carpilius (Brachyura, Xanthoidea, Carpiliidae) and of the Carpiliidae to other xanthoid crab families based on molecular sequence data.

The coral crab genus Carpilius currently includes three widely distributed species that inhabit tropical coral reefs and adjacent waters. The relationship of Carpilius to other xanthoid crabs is unknown. Previously, carcinologists considered Carpilius to be allied with crabs of the family Xanthidae (e.g., Euryozius, Liagore, and Liomera), however, recent workers have considered it to be a monotypic genus within its own family, Carpiliidae. Mitochondrial 12S- and 16S-rDNA gene fragments confirm the monophyly and distinct status of the family Carpiliidae. Within the genus Carpilius, the Caribbean species C. corallinus is basal to the two Pacific species C. maculatus and C. convexus. The Pacific species are sister taxa, despite the greater morphological resemblance of C. corallinus to the Pacific C. convexus. The relationship of the Carpiliidae (Carpilius) to other xanthoid crabs is investigated, and results of a preliminary analysis of higher xanthoid relationships did not resolve the relationships of Carpiliidae, "Xanthidae," Menippidae, Trapeziidae, and Ocypodidae to one another. A Menippidae and Carpilius relationship could not be rejected, although a Liomera, Liagore, and Carpilius relationship was.

Animals↗

The detection of linkage disequilibrium in molecular sequence data.

Studies of genetic variation in natural populations at the sequence level usually show that most polymorphic sites are very asymmetrical in allele frequencies, with the rarer allele at a site near fixation. When the rarer allele at a site is present only a few times in the sample, say below five representatives, it becomes very difficult to detect linkage disequilibrium between sites from tests of association. This is a consequence of the numerical properties of even the most powerful test of association, Fisher's exact test. Sites with fewer than five representatives in the sample should be excluded from association tests, but this generally leaves few site pairs eligible for testing. A test for overall linkage disequilibrium, based on the sign of the observed linkage disequilibria, is derived which can use all the data. It is shown that more power can be achieved by increasing the length of sequence determined than by increasing the number of genomes sampled for the same total work.

Alleles↗

Molecular sequence accuracy: analysing imperfect data.

Molecular sequences are experimentally derived data that can be expected to contain errors as a result of diverse phenomena such as biological variation, molecular cloning artifacts, imperfect sequence determination, and data handling during contig assembly. Errors will affect the reliability of database searches and sequence alignments, but their impact may be minimized by the use of analytical techniques that anticipate that the data will be imperfect.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Tempo of speciation in a butterfly genus from the Southeast Asian tropics, inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data.

Molecular systematics is frequently beset with phylogenetic results that are not fully resolved. Researchers either state that the absence of resolution is due to character conflict, explosive speciation, or some combination of the two, but seldom do they carefully examine their data to distinguish between these causes. In this study, we exhaustively analyze a set of nuclear and mitochondrial nucleotide data for the Asian tropical butterfly genus Arhopala so as to highlight the causes of polytomies in the phylogenetic trees, and, as a result, to infer important biological events in the history of this genus. We began by using non-parametric statistical methods to determine whether the ambiguously resolved regions in these trees represent hard or soft polytomies. In addition we determined how this correlated to number of inferred changes on branches, using parametric maximum likelihood estimations. Based on congruent patterns in both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences, we concluded that at two stages in the history of Arhopala there have been accelerated instances of speciation. One event, at the base of the phylogeny, generated many of the groups and subgroups currently recognized in this genus, while a later event generated another major clade consisting of both Oriental and Papuan species groups. Based on comparisons of closely related taxa, the ratio of instantaneous rate of evolution between mitochondrial and nuclear DNA evolution is established at approximately 3:1. The earliest radiation is dated between 7 and 11 Ma by a molecular clock analysis, setting the events generating much of the diversity of Arhopala at well before the Pleistocene. Periodical flooding of the Sunda plateau during interglacial periods was, therefore, not responsible for generating the major divisions in the genus Arhopala. Instead, we hypothesize that large-scale climatic changes taking place in the Miocene have induced the early acceleration in speciation.

Animals↗

Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the dragonfly genera Libellula, Ladona, and Plathemis (Odonata: Libellulidae) based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and 16S rRNA sequence data.

Molecular phylogenetic relationships among members of the odonate genus Libellula (Odonata: Anisoptera: Libellulidae) were examined using 735 bp of mitochondrial COI and 416 bp of 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences. Considerable debate exists over several relationships within Libellula, as well over the status of two putative genera often placed as subgenera within Libellula: Ladona and Plathemis. Parsimony and maximum-likelihood analyses of the separate and combined data sets indicate that Plathemis is basal and monophyletic and that Ladona is the sister clade to the remainder of Libellula sensu stricto (s.s.) (all species within the genus Libellula, excluding Plathemis and Ladona). Moreover, two European taxa, Libellula fulva and L. depressa, were found to occupy a sister group relationship within the Ladona clade. Relationships within Libellula s.s. are less well resolved. However, monophyletic lineages within the genus are largely consistent with morphologically based subgeneric classifications. Although tree topologies from each analysis differed in some details, the differences were in no case statistically significant. The analysis of the combined COI and 16S data yielded trees with overall stronger support than analyses of either gene alone. Several analyses failed to support the monophyly of Libellula sensu lato due to the inclusion of one or more outgroup species. However, statistical comparisons of topologies produced by unconstrained analyses and analyses in which the monophyly of Libellula was constrained indicate that any differences are nonsignificant. Based on morphological data, we therefore reject the paraphyly of Libellula and accept the outgroup status of Orthemis ferruginea and Pachydiplax longipennis.

Animals↗

Phylogenetic relationships within the class Oligohymenophorea, phylum Ciliophora, inferred from the complete small subunit rRNA gene sequences of Colpidium campylum, Glaucoma chattoni, and Opisthonecta henneguyi.

Phylogenetic relationships within the class Oligohymenophorea, phylum Ciliophora, were investigated by determining the complete small subunit rRNA (SSrRNA) gene sequences for the hymenostomes Colpidium campylum, Glaucoma chattoni, and the peritrich Opisthonecta henneguyi. The affiliations of the oligohymenophoreans were assessed using both distance matrix (DM) and maximum parsimony (MP) analyses. Variations do exist in the phylogenies created by the two methods. However, the basic tree topologies are consistent. In both the DM and MP analyses the hymenostomes (C. campylum, G. chattoni, and the tetrahymenas) all form a very tight group associated with the peritrich O. henneguyi. The Tetrahymena lineage was monophyletic whereas Colpidium and Glaucoma were more closely related to each other than either was to the tetrahymenas. The monophyly of the genus Tetrahymena in the present analysis supports the phylogenies determined from morphological data and molecular sequence data from the histone H3II/H4II region of the genome. The perplexing and controversial phylogenetic position of the peritrichs is once again depicted in the present analysis. The distinctiveness of the peritrich Opisthonecta from both hymenostome and nassophorean ciliates based on evolutionary distances suggests that the elevation of the peritrichs to a higher taxonomic rank should be reconsidered.

Animals↗

Data mining for proteins characteristic of clades.

A synapomorphy is a phylogenetic character that provides evidence of shared descent. Ideally a synapomorphy is ubiquitous within the clade of related organisms and nonexistent outside the clade, implying that it arose after divergence from other extant species and before the last common ancestor of the clade. With the recent proliferation of genetic sequence data, molecular synapomorphies have assumed great importance, yet there is no convenient means to search for them over entire genomes. We have developed a new program called Conserv, which can rapidly assemble orthologous sequences and rank them by various metrics, such as degree of conservation or divergence from out-group orthologs. We have used Conserv to conduct a largescale search for molecular synapomorphies for bacterial clades. The search discovered sequences unique to clades, such as Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and gamma-Proteobacteria, and shed light on several open questions, such as whether Symbiobacterium thermophilum belongs with Actinobacteria or Firmicutes. We conclude that Conserv can quickly marshall evidence relevant to evolutionary questions that would be much harder to assemble with other tools.

Amino Acid Sequence↗